The State government will take necessary measures to mitigate the woes of sericulture farmers and reelers following crash in prices of silk cocoons due to reduction in import duty.
Beside the heavy cut in import duty, earthquake in Nepal has aggravated the situation since cocoon buyers in the country have temporarily suspended imports.
G. Sathish, Commissioner for Sericulture Department on Sunday visited Sidlaghat Cocoon Market, the largest market in Asia, and held discussions with sericulturists as well as reelers.
On an average around 70 tonne cocoon trading takes place every day at Sidlaghat Cocoon Market.
Mr. Sathish explained the farmers and reelers that the State government briefs the Centre on every pre-budget eve about the problems and requirements of those engaged in sericulture front. “This time also the Centre was requested not to cut the import duty”, he said.
A delegation consisting of MPs fro Karnataka has met the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitly and explained the sufferings of the sericulture farmers. The Centre has responded positively to the pleas of the State and it was hoped problem will be solved soon, Mr. Sathish said.
‘Hike the duty’
As the cut in import duty on raw silk has adversely affected the silk farming as more buyers opt for cheap imports from China, hike in duty import alone could be a solution to the present solution, feel leaders of farmers’ outfits.
“Import duty should be raised to 32.5 per cent from the present 10 per cent”, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha district convener K. Srinivasa Gowda told The Hindu .
Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha district unit general secretary T.M. Venkatesh has warned that a national highway blockade agitation will be conducted if the Centre does not take appropriate steps to solve the problems of Sericulturists.
